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Welcome
to BirdTracks® Online!
An email newsletter
from
Wild Birds Unlimited for September
2005.
In This
Issue:
- Bird of the Month: House Sparrow
and European Starling
- Fun Facts About the
Sparrow and Starling
- San Jacinto Battleground
LaPorte, Texas
- Operation Migration
Update | |
|
The Birds We Love to Hate:
The House Sparrow and the European
Starling
Many backyard birdwatchers are
quick to say, "There are no bad birds!" And while that is
true, there are some birds that people love to hate!
On the top of the list are the House Sparrow
and the European Starling.
Just
mention their names and some people grimace. Opinions are
quickly given that "they are noisy, make horrible messes, and
there are far too many of them."
Having said all
that . . . you've really got to admire them! Few other
wild birds in the world have been so successful at expanding
both their population and geographic range. Starting with
their humble roots in Europe and Asia, the Starling and House
Sparrow have become two of the most widespread and commonly
seen wild birds on the planet.
Amazingly adaptable,
these birds have learned to thrive in close association with
mankind, unlike the many other species that have declined or
disappeared as a result of our activities.
In fact, they
actually owe much of their success directly to us. We are the
ones that provided the transportation for their global
expansion. Our agricultural practices and urban development
have given them copious food supplies, and our structures have
created abundant nesting habitats.
So, love them . .
. or hate them. It's probably time for us to learn to live
with them as well as they have learned to live with
us. | |
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Fun Facts About the House
Sparrow
- House Sparrows are extremely
adaptable. They have been found living in Death Valley, CA
at 280 feet below sea level and in the Colorado Rocky
Mountains at altitudes over 10,000 feet. Quite remarkably,
House Sparrows are also known to live and breed in a
Yorkshire, England coal mine, being fed by the miners over
700' below ground level.
- The House Sparrow was introduced
from England to North America in Brooklyn, NY during the
fall of 1851.
- Only 200 years ago, there were
no house sparrows on the entire continent of North America.
Today, it is estimated that there are over 150
million.
Use this link to our web
site for more: Fun
Facts About the House Sparrow
Fun Facts About the
European Starling
- The European Starling was
introduced into North America when the "American
Acclimatization Society" for European settlers released some
80-100 birds in Central Park (New York City) in 1890-91. The
head of this particular organization, Eugene Scheiffelin,
desired to introduce all birds ever mentioned in the works
of William Shakespeare.
- Since its introduction into
North America in 1891, European Starling populations have
grown to over 200 million birds and they can now be found
coast to coast and in Alaska.
- The European Starling,
introduced to North America in 1891, has had a significant
impact on our native birds. In particular, its intense
competition for nesting cavities has had a negative impact
on many cavity-nesting species such as Bluebirds,
woodpeckers and Purple Martins.
Use this link to our web
site for more: Fun
Facts About the European
Starling | |
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|
 Pathways To Nature® Travel Log: San
Jacinto Battleground LaPorte, Texas
San Jacinto
State Park, Texas
History buffs
will recognize the San Jacinto Battleground
State Historic Site as the site where Sam
Houston attained independence for Texas by
defeating a Mexican army led by General Santa Ana
in 1836. Birders and nature lovers now enjoy this
site as one of the best remaining examples of
native prairie and tidal marsh in the
region.
And, thanks to a
$50,000 grant from the Wild Birds Unlimited
Pathways To Nature Conservation Fund, visitors can
enjoy these habitats and the wildlife they shelter
by hiking the 1,200 foot long San Jacinto
Interpretive Trail. This accessible, all-weather
trail snakes through prairie and marsh, crossing
salt meadows, mud flats and tidal channels, and
includes a covered, elevated observation deck that
gives visitors a bird's eye view of the marsh
system. Visitors on the trail commonly see such
coastal specialties as the Roseate Spoonbill, Wood
Stork, Mottled Duck, Osprey, White Pelican and
other wetland denizens such as the river
otter.
It's not often that
history and nature intersect to provide an
experience as rich as that found at San Jacinto
State Park, where birders and birds can bask in
the habitats protected as part of our nation's
culture.
Be sure to visit http://cl.exct.net/?ffcd16-fe5e1770756d0d747715-fe1e1677726d0d7e761d70-ff6415717c
for more information on San Jacinto State
Park.
The Pathways
To Nature Conservation Fund is a partnership
between Wild Birds Unlimited stores and the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund
environmental education and wildlife viewing
projects. We encourage all of our customers to
visit these incredible places. Your patronage
helped make these projects
possible! |
|
This is a Pathways To Nature® Travel
Log | | | |
|
Operation Migration
Update
The Whooping
cranes are hatched and the team at Operation Migration is busy
preparing the birds for the 2005 fall migration. In the first
five years of the program, approximately 60 birds have been
taught a migration route between Wisconsin and Florida to help
reintroduce the Whooping Crane to eastern North
America. Check out the field
journal chronicling the latest activity of the
Operation Migration team.
Wild Birds
Unlimited has been a proud sponsor of the Whooping
Crane Recovery Program with grants from the Pathways To Nature Conservation Fund
to both Operation Migration and Necedah National Wildlife
Refuge.
Get involved: So far, Operation
Migration's team has helped over 40 Whooping cranes learn to
migrate along their ancestors' ancient route. Years of work
are still ahead before the Whooping Crane population can
be removed from the endangered species list, but with
your support it will happen. Together, we can make
history! | |
 |
Wild Birds Unlimited® has more
than 300 locations across North America. For more than 20
years, the company has specialized in bringing people and
nature together by providing expert information and offering
an exclusive line of products designed specifically for the
backyard birdfeeding hobby. The company is committed to
educating the public about the importance of preserving
natural wildlife habitats.
Pathways To Nature® Conservation
Fund: All Wild Birds Unlimited stores donate a
portion of proceeds to this fund to support education,
conservation and wildlife viewing projects at wildlife
refuges, parks, sanctuaries and nature conservancies
throughout North America. More information is available
at
http://www.pathwaystonature.com
.
We Bring People and
Nature Together®
For a
Wild Birds Unlimited store near you,
call (800)
326-4928 or access
Store Locator.
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